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Earth Care Farm

The Challenge

Much of what we throw in the trash is nutrient rich, organic material, such as food scraps and yard clippings. Instead of being composted and nourishing our farms and gardens, it ends up in the landfill.

The Approach

Since 1977, Earth Care Farm has diverted a wide variety of organic material from the waste stream and turned it into high quality compost for farms and home gardeners. They are the state’s largest commercial compost processing facility.

By The Numbers

  • 43 years in operation
  • Processes nearly 100 tons of material per day 
  • 5-10% of composted material is food waste
  • Produces about 5,000 cubic yards of compost per year
  • 30 acres, with 3 used for composting
  • Compost pile sizes can be 100-feet long by 70-feet wide by 12-feet high (depending on season and production stage)

Minimize Food Waste and Divert it from the Waste Stream

Earth Care Farm has prevented thousands of tons of food waste from entering the landfill while creating nutrient-rich soil products.

Program Description

Statement of Impact

Earth Care Farm has prevented thousands of tons of food waste from entering the landfill while creating nutrient-rich soil products.

Statement of Changes

For over 40 years, valuable organic materials have been changing their destination from Rhode Island’s Central landfill– which is slated to reach maximum capacity by 2034– to a compost pile at Earth Care Farm in Charlestown, Rhode Island.

This family run, holistically managed farm puts “waste” matter where it matters. Sources of “waste” material include leaves and food scraps from homes and schools, “zoo poo” from Roger Williams Park, coffee grounds from local businesses, and fish scraps from Rhode Island’s seafood industry. The material undergoes a 1.5 year process of mixing, curing, and screening, which turns it into a rich compost. Earth Care Farm’s compost products improve soil fertility and crop health while promoting environmental sustainability across the state and region.  Individuals and businesses can drop off organic materials at the farm for little to no cost, participating in the communal effort of composting.

Future Plans

Earth Care Farm is planning a line of soil products specifically for the cannabis industry. They will also be increasing bagging operations to allow their compost to reach audiences beyond New England. They are furthering their educational impact through a new series of gardening instructional segments on Instagram (@earthcarefarmri) and Facebook.

These projects are centered around a single goal: to continue connecting people to soil: the basis of healthy, nutritious food.

This Rhode Island Story was prepared by Nicole Burns.

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